Shane Henderson, frontman of Valencia, has posted his thoughts on the band’s hiatus:
So as some of you have read the announcement, I’d just like to say a short little something about it all. My time in Valencia is something I will be able to brag to my kids and grand kids about. It was my dream to start a band play songs that matter to me and make it in the industry in some way shape or form. I am proud of the success, I am proud of the traveling, I’ve done, and regardless of how it went, I am proud that I can say my band was on a Major Record Label. We have always been a band who has done everything we can to put our selves in the position to say we did it. We never had a manager that would do big things, our booking agent got us a few good support tours, the only real label that cared about marketing our band was ISurrender. Everything we did, all the 24/7 work we did for little to no pay was well worth it cause we did it ourselves. When we would get on stage and the sentiments the songs would bring back to me, would be screamed back at me by hundreds to thousands of people it was shocking to the point where I would have to step back and do a double take to bring it all in. I love music, I loved my band, I loved traveling, I hated the long drives, I loved our fans, I loved the amazing friends I met who I hope will stay in touch.
This Industry is tough, it will beat you down. When we signed to Columbia the first thing they asked me to do was lose 50 pounds. I hated everyone for it because it went against everything I stood for in music; my beliefs that it should never matter what you look like just how you sound and your presence. But you know what I did, I said fuck um all I am going to do it and rub it in their snooty fucking faces when I do. So I lost 50 pounds in 2 weeks by running two miles a day and eating one fucking subway sandwich a day (healthy I know). The moral to this story is that I did all the work I tried to make my appearance acceptable to the machine, but where did it get us? Anywhere closer to where we wanted to be with Columbia? No. This industry is fucked and I hope someday you will all wake up and see through the bull shit bands singing about bull shit topics that they wrote in a room with 3 other people who arent in the band. Every lyric on every record is a fucking story of my life as well as the guys, its our experience. I’m proud of Valencia and everything it stood for. It was as close to a DIY band as you can get with out officially being a DIY band.
If there is one statement that you should take away from this, I am not done. I have plans to self release a Promise of Redemption EP on ITUNES by myself. No labels no bull shit, we will see who the true people are that support music enough to not download it, (that is of course if you like POR). Followed by a full length shortly after. I hope to god that most of you will follow me on my next journey musically. I am not ready to give up performing. It is what I love and every time I see a band on stage having fun, I wish it was me.
As for my brothers in Valencia. This shit we’ve been through, and seen is far beyond my wildest dreams. Too many stories not acceptable for the internet, and even more that would take hours of writing to get out. I love those times and will cherish them forever.
This is not goodbye, it’s Ill see ya later …
Give us some time, and if you will stick with us through this, I promise some way shape or form we will be back. Don’t forget about us on the way. We love you all.
Come see our Final Show at the Electric Factory on 12/28/11 valenciamusic.net has all the info. Thank you